More than 2,000 Palestinian supporters marched from Times Square to the Israeli consulate last night in a noisy protest calling for an end to Israeli military action.

“We need to stop blindly supporting the apartheid state of Israel,” said demonstrator Jalal Akel, 26, an epidemiologist from Brooklyn.

“Palestinians can’t live on their own land. They can’t get out of their own homes, and they can’t travel to any of their holy places just because they are Palestinians.”

Muslims and protesters from other faiths attended the rally, organized by a group called the International ANSWER Coalition, as well as other Islamic groups.

But New York’s top politicians stood united yesterday in support of Israel and condemned Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

During the heated but nonviolent four-hour protest, crowds bowed their heads in a moment of silence for Palestinians killed in the conflict.

Demonstrators also blasted President Bush for continuing military support to Israel.

A heavy presence of uniformed cops contained the protesters. Police said no arrests were made.

ANSWER organizers said the protest was the first step in a nationwide “Palestinian solidarity campaign” that will culminate in a march on Washington on April 20.

In Paterson, N.J., Muslim protesters chanted and carried homemade signs saying “Stop the Massacre” and “Stop Killing Our Children” in support of Palestinians. Several hundred Muslims and Jews faced off at a peaceful protest in Teaneck, but it remained peaceful, authorities said. In Jersey City, about 300 anti-Israeli protesters gathered in Journal Square.

Meanwhile, New York’s top politicians slammed Arafat at a pro-Israeli demonstration.

“You are not just aiding and abetting terror, you are a terrorist,” Gov. Pataki said of Arafat during a rally in front of the PLO’s mission to the United Nations on East 65th Street.

“It is time we eradicated that terrorist,” added Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan).

New York officials also applauded Bush’s decision to intervene in the Middle East peace process. But they all backed away from Bush’s call that Israel withdraw its forces from West Bank cities.

“Israel, in the end, has to do what it thinks is right and protect its own people,” Mayor Bloomberg said on his weekly WABC radio show.

Andrew Cuomo, the latest gubernatorial candidate to reach out to New York’s Jewish voters by traveling to Israel, said from Jerusalem: “It’s up to Israel to determine what it thinks Israel should and shouldn’t do.”